29/12/2008 by Aileen.

Well, M and F, Kev and Mag left yesterday. We had a great time. Giggles all round. Kev brought along his cinething with bits of various reunions on. Trouble is - I had decided that if I didn’t wear a skirt at least for Christmas I would have to get rid of them all, and put one on. And there it was in the film. Plus the same ear rings, which I hadn’t worn for a long time. Also, a ‘hoodie’ which I must admit I DO wear all the time.

ALi et al are arriving today (Eric couldn’t get off over Christmas) so I’ve just had a mad dash changing bed clothes. Washing machine’s on, and I need to buy milk and bread, but I’m having a much needed caffeine injection for the moment.

John has a client.

If M and F can come back towards the end of the week (Fiona has a party and a funeral to go to in the meantime) Ali and co will stay until Saturday. Fun and Games!!!

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25/12/2008 by Aileen.

‘Midnight’ Mass at 8.30pm last night. Slept in the morning. Just had cottage pie and are watching Harry Potter. (Tomorrow is our Christmas when M and F come over.)

Warning - there follow my theological thoughts on Christmas.

I think the incarnation means that through Jesus, God became linked with creation in a way that ‘he’ couldn’t otherwise. Every little molecule and atom and quark (I’m not a scientist!) has a divine element. That means the world is GOOD.  People are good. I see people Christmas shopping and they look harrassed. No joy. But they are shopping for others. Maybe there’s an element of keeping up with the Jones’s, of having no option, other non-altruistic motives, but they are giving. The divine element is there. The self-giving. Just as God gave ‘himself’ at Christmas.

Happy Christmas one and all!

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23/12/2008 by Aileen.

I’ve just had a star reading done by an OU student who doesn’t know me in the slightest. It is spookily accurate! Here it is. (I always thought I was born on the cusp and was more a Libra than a Virgo)

The sun doesnt actually go into Libra until about 23/24 September. So without looking, you are definitely a Virgo! ;-))

But having a quick look, both your mars and neptune are in Libra however, and within 8 degrees of each other (conjunct) - so I would imagine you are a very imaginative lady, with a love of beautiful things - and you probably put a lot of energy into making your home as aesthetically pleasing as possible, or fantasising about your dream home - or it may be that you are a very stylish lady - who dresses in a very imaginative and different way - always expressing yourself in your own very unique way? Your moon is just going into Pisces, so watch the drink and the pills - you can be very emotional and sometimes may want to escape too much. Both your mercury (the way you think) and your venus (the way you love and appreciate beauty) are both in Virgo. Yes, definitely a lady who has to have everything just so - and you must have fabulous taste. Very organised mentally, and your Jupiter is also in Virgo - so a love for organised parades, religions, bands, groups or whatever, as long as they are organised - or you can organise them in some way! Are you very creative in some way - because I would think from just this very quick look, you are very imaginative, but at the same time, you can direct your imagination both well, and in a controlled way, to produce things? It may be art, writing, music or anything - but there is definitely the imagination and ability to use it there?

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22/12/2008 by Aileen.

Well, what a lovely day I have had. I don’t think I had any sleep last night. I know I was still awake at 2.20, and went to sleep on the floor in the sitting room. (This helps my back and feels cooler than bedroom, although the heating isn’t on) I still couldn’t sleep. Kept thinking of the story I’m doing for Creative Writing TMA and different possible endings.

I had to get up early as I had a hair appointment  in Hull at 10. Took a chance and used Park and Ride, which proved most successful. Will do in future. Had hair done, did ALL Christmas pressie shopping, and stopped at Sainsbury’s for non-perishable stuff. Then delivered calendar and christmas card to Fr Michael, who showed me some of his lovely bird photos. I am SO tempted to get a digiscope. Especially as I have just read an article about digiscoping.

Pleasant evening. We began watching Once Upon a Time in America (from www.lovefilm.com) but weren’t enjoying it so turned it off. It was SOOO violent. I’ve been getting on with The Lighthouse (P D James). Tomorrow I will go to the Dump and maybe wrap presents. I also need to cook a casserole for one of the days that M and F, Kev and Mag, are with us.

Can’t believe I’m not exhausted after a bad night’s sleep and a (half) day in Hull. I think comfortable shoes is the answer.

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22/12/2008 by Aileen.

No, I have nothing to say. But there again I never say much on here. So here goes with the record of my daily life. Up. On Computer. Had to rush for church. I had made some cards for people yesterday, and put them, plus two books Fr Neville asked me to order, by the front door. And forgot to bring them with me.

Tuna mayo sarnie for lunch. Roast pork this evening.

Against my principles (keeping Sunday special)  I did the ironing during the day. I have spent the rest of the time reading The Lighthouse, by P.D. James. Once before I tried her, and couldn’t get on with her, but this time I find it’s a pleasure to read her elegant style. Good intriguing story too. I keep seeing her tricks of trade, and thinking I must learn from her for my TMA.

Oh yes, I worked on this a bit today too.

John orderd several pressies online today, so although I’m going in to Hull tomorrow to get my hair done I only have to buy four.

As we’re not celebrating  Christmas until Boxing Day I made a cottage pie for Christmas for just to two of us! Now all I have to do is open the freezer. (And rush around wrapping pressies and putting sheets on beds etc no doubt.)

So there we are. No comment.

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19/12/2008 by Aileen.

It’s all coming together. M and F coming Boxing day, Kev and Mag overlapping by a day or two, then Ali and family coming on the 29th and will be here for Hogmanay. Pity they can’t all be here together. As well as the ensuite guestroom we have a second living room with two three seater sofa beds. Plenty of room for 6 guests.

Our house is so perfect for our needs. The previous occupants had a disabled son, and they added an extension for him. Originally it was an emormous bed/sitting room with an adjoining bathroom, but we turned the bathroom round so we had an ensuite. We call the big room ‘The Swinton’ which is where our kids sent us as a 40th Wedding Anniversary treat.

What’s so good about the house is that there is a second entrance leading through the utility room down a hall to the sunlounge. The sunlounge is a very long room, so we’ve divided it in two visually by using a lowlevel bookcase. The far end is my ’study’ while the near end is John’s counselling room. It means that clients can come in via the second door and go down to the counselling room without disrupting the rest of the house. There is a loo off the utility room too, so that is really convenient (intended pun) for the clients.

John’s Counselling Area. With a glimpse of my study in the background. (We’ve changed the twee lights since I took the photo)

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19/12/2008 by Aileen.

It was the panto tonight. Really enjoyable. However, it took up a lot of evenings for rehearsals, and I gave up several photography sessions including a party. Just unfortunate that they were on Mondays. And I was grateful for the panto when John was in hospital and I couldn’t go to Camera Club anyway as I was staying ‘darn sarth’ with M and F.

Had a really good day today anyway. Back to normal healthwise, and went to Potteric Carr on one of Michael’s One-off Specials. Took lots of photos, including close-ups of great spotted woodpecker, but they were all blurred. Some fungi photos looked okay until I blew them up on screen. I think I need to put my camera in for a service. I can’t be that bad!

Anyway, tomorrow I turn my thoughts to Christmas. Most cards are posted, but nothing else. We thought no one was coming until a few days after. This is true of Ali and family, as Eric is working over Christmas, but M and F rang to say they would be up on Boxing Day. We were going to have a pre-cooked casserole on Christmas Day so I didn’t have to do anything - still might - but I had to rush out to the butcher’s and order a turkey. Luckily they had one left. Tomorrow - crib and decorations down, and maybe do some shopping for pressies. I was going to do everything online this year, but have prolly left it too late. HATE shopping. I was in my element at Potteric Carr today, especially when I stayed on for the afternoon and wandered around the wild bit over the railway track. Saw no one over there, but several sightings of a jay.

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13/12/2008 by Aileen.

Oh I was so ill yesterday. Just felt really nauseous. Couldn’t face food, which is SO NOT ME! No other symptoms, but I wanted to be sick all the time. It carried on through the night. Still bad at 4am, but then, when I got up gingerly at around 7am I found I wasn’t nauseous. Tired and weak, and really bloated, but much much better.
Today I need to go shopping. We resorted to powdered milk yesterday, (John made me a cuppa in the evening and I had half of it), and John heated himself up a shop-bought pizza. The smell made me feel sick.
After the shopping I think I’ll spend the day curled up with my OU books. What with going to London, and being ill, I am behind once again. Anyway, that should be an enjoyable afternoon.
I remember as a kid I would get lost in books (I read quickly) for hours and hours. Mum was always saying I was lazy. She would be doing the ironing, and banging down the iron and sighing deeply, (hinting for me to give a hand) and I wouldn’t be aware of it for ages. (Very unassertive mum. I can see that now.)
Anyway, poor old mum had me, my three younger brothers and dad working long hours at the Savoy Hotel. It must have been hard for her. Plus, there was Terence Michael who died from whooping cough at three months, and at least two miscarriages.
But I’m not saying she had an unhappy life. She and dad were blissfully happy together, and looking back on it now, the times she ‘had a go’ at me must have quite often coincided with her PMS.

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12/12/2008 by Aileen.

I definitely feel a bit off today. I should be at Creative Writing, but a combination of icy canal side and not feeling well (nauseous) meant that I cancelled.

It serves me right for bragging to my former colleagues at the reunion on Wednesday that I hadn’t had a cold in the 5 years we have lived in Yorkshire.

Reunion was good, but very short. Under two hours. And I hit and damaged the wing mirror on John’s car when trying to get out of a tight space. And I fed a parking meter in Wimbledon and got done for £100 (well £50 as I’m going to pay straight away)

Anyway, I’m going to take it easy today by trawling through all the magazines that have piled up. (RSPB, Nat. Trust, Teachers, WWT.) I know I don’t have to but I’m scared of missing something! Trouble is, when I just skim through in order to finish with them I don’t think I am really enjoying them.

Arts Festival on the OU presence in Second Life opened last night. It was really good. Such a talented bunch of people. I took photos of the opening ceremony, but must take some of the exhibition before it’s dismantled.

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09/12/2008 by Aileen.

Just sitting here quietly having a cuppa before I hit the motorway. I’m travelling down to Kev and Mag’s in Epsom, as tomorrow, in Wimbledon, I am meeting four friends I used to teach with yonks ago. I think I left St. Cecilias in 1985? It should be good fun.

The SL exhibition is almost ready - I only have to put photos in the virtual frames! Funny thing is - I was looking for photos to show my friends, but they’re all on the computer. I have a lot (497!) on my Ipod Touch but the screen is so small. Oh well. Never happy.

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